"The fastest way down is just being -- one little slip up and you are done -- so that's the fastest way to go down. We're riding a fine line most of the time."

Known as "Ted Shred" for his fearless attitude on the piste, Ligety's approach to gravity -- traveling at speeds that even motorists might start to feel nervous about -- has served him well since making his pro debut a decade ago.

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Securing a stunning hat-trick of titles at this month's world skiing championships in the Austrian resort of Schladming, the 28-year-old from Park City matched a feat last achieved by the legendary Jean-Claude Killly back in 1968.

In doing so he all but singlehandedly hoisted the United States to the top of the medals table in Austria.

Those victories in the super-G, super combined and his specialty giant slalom, where he was defending his 2011 title, showed Ligety's all-round versatility and catapulted him to superstar status.

No-nonsense approach

Not that he is letting his recent success go to his head.

The American has even bigger goals ahead -- trying to overhaul Austrian Marcel Hirscher at the top of this season's overall World Cup standings and then challenging for gold at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

"I still believe the overall (World Cup) title winner is the No. 1 skier in the world," Ligety said.

"I have been having a great season but I'm a little way back in the overall, so to me Marcel Hirscher is the No. 1 in the world.

"I had a really hot couple of weeks and luckily that fell during the world championships. I am hopeful I can continue the success of the worlds into the other events besides giant slalom."

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Ligety's no-nonsense approach and relentless quest for improvement means he has swerved the media hullabaloo which accompanies his fellow U.S. teammates such as Lindsey Vonn and Bode Miller.

"I'm not doing ski racing to become famous. I do it because I love it and I'm competitive. That's what drives me. My main focus is on ski racing, not the red carpet," he states on his official website.

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Ligety insists he is "not focused on the Olympics yet" but memories of his earlier success leave a warm glow.

"Winning the gold medal in the 2006 Olympics was pretty surreal," he said.

"I still kind of shake my head when I think about winning the gold medal because I was so young and it was really cool to win the gold. To hear the national anthem and stand on top of the podium was a really surreal experience."

While his career is on an upward trajectory, Ligety downplays suggestions that he will be carrying main U.S. hopes at the Russian resort next February.

"It's far enough away so much can change between now and then. Bode and Lindsey should be healthy for the Olympics so we will have a very strong team besides myself."

Commercial venture

That 2006 victory opened up other commercial opportunities, and Ligety cleverly exploited his nickname to start a similarly-titled company specializing in custom-made helmet and goggle combinations.

"I was a crazy kid and would go straight line moguls and was willing to push myself to another level. And, you know, it rhymes with Ted, so 'Ted Shred' was what I was called."

Ligety may have had a wild streak as a teenager, but he has adopted the same levelheaded approach to business as his skiing career, partnering a friend who brought technical expertise to the venture.

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"It's nice to have the distraction of running a company. I wouldn't say I do the day-to-day business side of it just because it would be impossible with my schedule, but it's a fun distraction to take it away from the grind of always traveling and ski racing."

His products are worn by a growing number of fellow World Cup skiers, including Alexis Pinturault, a young Frenchman who beat Ligety into third place as he claimed his maiden World Cup giant slalom win at Garmisch-Partenkirchen last weekend.

It was a rare defeat in giant slalom this season for Ligety, who has taken advantage of a change in the length of skis and their turning circle to dominate the discipline.

Outspoken critic

Ironically, Ligety was an outspoken critic of the rule changes introduced by world governing body, the FIS, and was perplexed that as a leading competitor he wasn't consulted on the changes.

"I wasn't even talked to about it or asked if I thought it was a good idea, it just happened and I thought it was done in a very improper manner," he said.

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He quickly put that lack of consultation to one side when he won an early-season race by more than two and a half seconds -- the margins are usually tenths of seconds -- and Ligety is still waiting for the rest of the world to catch up.

The American believes the new regulations play to his strengths as a near 10-year veteran of the circuit and because of his style of starting the turns around the gates a little earlier and finishing a little later.

"It allows me to be cleaner on the edge and accelerate more out of the turns," he said.

However, his early Olympic success in Turin, becoming the first American since Moe to claim a skiing gold, was not matched in the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver where he finished fifth behind teammate Miller in his super combined title defense.